Information about favicon.ico
What is favicon.ico?
The favicon.ico is a small icon found in the URL (uniform resource locator) address bar and on bookmarks created by web browsers.
For example, in the image above, there's a small icon (
) in the front of the Computer Hope URL.
How can I create a favicon?
The favicon can be created using any free icon generator or in a free online favicon generator such as favicon.cc. The file favicon.ico must be 16x16 in dimension, set to 16 colors, and saved as a .ico file.
Finally, the file favicon.ico should be uploaded into the root directory on the server hosting your web page.
The favicon.ico file is the bare minimum every website and web page should have. However, having multiple versions of the favicon in different sizes and formats help make your icon look good on all devices and displays. Use the favicon.io free website to create, convert, a
Can the icon be animated?
Yes, if the icon generator you're using to create the icon supports animation and the browser you're using to view the web page supports it, this icon can be animated.
Can the file be named something else, other than favicon.ico?
Yes, in your HTML (hypertext markup language) code, add the tag below in the <head></head> section of your code.
<link rel="shortcut icon" href="pictures/favicon2.ico">
This example would cause the browser to look for the favicon2.ico file and use it instead of the favicon.ico. If an older browser or a browser that does not support this feature is used, the tag is ignored.
The favicon can also be pulled from another website. For example, to use the Computer Hope favicon on your site, you could add the tag below in your <head></head> section.
<link rel="shortcut icon" href="https://www.computerhope.com/favicon.ico">
Today's browser don't require this tag to be placed in every page you create, as long as there is a favicon.ico file stored in the root (home) directory. We suggest using this tag to use a specific favicon or when your web host doesn't support hosting .ico files.
What is favicon.gif?
More recent Internet browsers are adopting using favicon.gif, in addition to favicon.ico. If you're a website or blog developer, we suggest using a favicon.gif file in addition to favicon.ico. Place the files in your site's root directory and any web-accessible subdirectories, to help prevent 404 errors in your server log.
Why is my browser not showing the favicon?
The favicon may not be showing because of any of the reasons below.
- If you or someone else using your computer has recently cleared your Internet cache, the favicons are lost because they're stored in this temporary cache.
- Page has not been loaded recently or the browser does not look in the proper location for the favicon. Try refreshing the browser page (pressing the F5 on the keyboard is a common keyboard shortcut for refreshing a page).
- If you're a web page webmaster and cannot get the favicon.ico to display, make sure the icon is in the root directory with the proper permissions. If this is verified and the page is in a different directory, try placing the favicon.ico file in that directory.
- Finally, earlier browsers have had other various issues related to the favicon.ico file. Make sure you are running the latest available Internet browser version for your operating system.